News In Brief

November 3, 1983

Washington

House refuses to delete funds for MX missiles

The House Tuesday night refused to cut funding for the MX missile, handing President Reagan a major victory. The 217-208 vote came on an amendment to a $ 246 billion defense appropriations bill for 1984, which was expected to easily pass a final vote Wednesday.

The Democratic-controlled House agreed to spend $2.1 billion to purchase 21 MX missiles during fiscal 1984. The Republican-dominated Senate is expected to concur with the House when it votes on its own defense bill later this week.

Meanwhile, in two setbacks for Mr. Reagan, the Senate Appropriations Committee gave final approval to a $251 billion defense bill that drops $220 million in secret funding for a Jordanian strike force and $124 million for chemical weapons.